Trieste Science+Fiction Festival Unveils Stunning 2026 Poster

With just three months to go before Italy’s premier celebration of fantastic cinema returns, the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has released the official artwork for its 26th edition, revealing a powerful new poster by award-winning comic artist Spugna that places imagination and humanity at the heart of its vision for 2026.

Running from 3 to 8 November in the historic city of Trieste, the festival continues under the artistic direction of British film critic Alan Jones, who has helped shape the event into one of Europe’s leading showcases for science fiction and fantasy cinema. This year’s newly commissioned artwork offers a distinctly emotional take on speculative fiction, depicting a towering post-human creature carefully repairing a small robot from its childhood, suggesting that even in a corrupted future, compassion and curiosity can endure.

Created by Spugna, one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary Italian comics, the illustration explores the contrast between humanity’s decline and the restorative power of imagination. Festival creative director Francesco Cappellotto said the image reflects the spirit of the event, describing the festival as a place where fantastic cinema encourages audiences to reconnect with the sense of wonder often left behind in adulthood.

Spugna explained that his fascination has always leaned towards the biological side of science fiction rather than purely mechanical futures. He said the concept immediately evolved into “a huge fleshy, muscular post-human creature” reminiscent of the final transformation in Akira, whose grotesque appearance is offset by the tenderness of repairing a small robot from its past.

The illustrator has built an acclaimed career through graphic novels including The Rust Kingdom, Fingerless, Rusted Tales and the Fat Rot Things series, alongside collaborations with Dylan Dog Color Fest, Cattivik and writer Marco Taddei. His work has earned multiple Boscarato Awards as well as the Micheluzzi Award for New Paths at COMICON Naples.

Reflecting on this year’s festival, Alan Jones highlighted what he sees as an exciting moment for science fiction across the wider industry. He pointed to 2026 marking the centenary of Hugo Gernsback coining the term “science fiction” with the launch of Amazing Stories, while also noting the recent mainstream success enjoyed by independent genre productions. Jones added that the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has long championed emerging filmmakers, original voices and experimental storytelling, years before the broader industry embraced many of those same ideas.

The festival’s programme will once again feature international premieres, special guests, talks and industry events spanning cinema, literature, comics, video games and science communication. Returning highlights include the Sci-Fi Dome in Piazza della Borsa, which will host the Mondofuturo series exploring science and speculative fiction, the IVIPRO DAYS programme dedicated to video games and cultural storytelling, and the Fantastic Film Forum for film industry professionals. The Mondofuturo Literary Award will also return, recognising the best original science fiction novel published in Italy during 2025.

Founded in 2000, the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival continues the legacy of the historic Trieste International Science Fiction Film Festival, first established in 1963, and has welcomed figures including Dario Argento, Terry Gilliam, Christopher Lee, George A. Romero, Neil Gaiman, Joe Dante, Ray Harryhausen and John Landis across its history.

The Trieste Science+Fiction Festival takes place in Trieste, Italy, from 3 to 8 November 2026. For more information, visit: sciencefictionfestival.org/